Bennett Fires 68 in Masters Debut – Texas A&M Athletics

Sam Bennett Round 1 Quotes
April 6, 2023 – Augusta, Georgia

courtesy ASAP Sports and The Masters

Q. What was it like stepping to the 1st tee and you walk off something?

SAM BENNETT: I couldn’t have dreamed of a better start. Got out of the gates hot and then made a good one on 6, and from 6 on played steady golf. Hit a lot of good shots, give myself some looks, kept it under the hole. Bogey-free, that’s something I love probably the most out of everything. To go around this place bogey-free is pretty cool.

Q. Do you know who Ken Venturi is?

SAM BENNETT: A little bit. I know the name.

Q. Ken Venturi holds the lowest round for an amateur at 66, and you challenged that. Were you aware of how well you were playing and that record was in reach?

SAM BENNETT: No, I wasn’t thinking of any record. I was just trying to stack shots and give myself some looks and keep it under the hole, which I did.

Q. You did tie a record for the front nine with the 32 with seven other guys, including Venturi, Matt Kuchar, and another guy from Texas, Ben Crenshaw. So your name’s in the record books for that one.

SAM BENNETT: That’s cool, I guess.

Q. How about having your coach on your bag? Did he help you out with any reads?

SAM BENNETT: For sure. Coach, all credit to him with the Am and college and anything he’s done. He helped me get around this place good. We were smart, dialed in with our numbers, knew where we wanted to be.

I had a lot of stress-free pars, which is what you want around this place.

Q. It’s got to be nerve-racking to step up to the 1st tee as an amateur for the first time here and you’re playing with the reigning champion. Talk about that experience as they called your name to the tee.

SAM BENNETT: It was a long wait. This morning I was anxious. I was fiddling around. I couldn’t really sit still. I was ready to get off that box.

I just enjoy it. That’s where I want to be, to be able to hit those shots with the crowds and the pressure. I loved it. Like I’ve said multiple times, I’m experienced. I feel like I’m ready for this stage. I haven’t played my best in college golf, but when the pressure is on, I tend to play pretty well.

Q. We know you lost your dad and he’s really important to you. Talk about the message you have on your forearm and how you carried him with you today.

SAM BENNETT: I think I’ve talked about that enough.

Q. Do you mind just showing the forearm?

SAM BENNETT: Yeah, it was cool walking up 17 and 18. It was kind of gloomy all day, and then on 17 it was…